Thiel: What if Mariners had acquired Hamilton?

The most prized free agent last winter, Josh Hamilton, is having an epic fail with the Angels. Imagine if he were part of Mariners futility, as the bosses wanted, for $100 million-plus.

Josh Hamilton, whom the Mariners pursued last winter, has been a major bust in his first season in Anaheim. / Wiki Commons

After a pleasant emotional spike from winning a series from the Oakland A’s, Mariners fans who haven’t abandoned the exercise are parsing good from bad to find a way forward in a season that reaches midpoint this week. Rather than engage in the familiar will-he/won’t-he regarding Justin Smoak, Michael Saunders, Dustin Ackley, et al, I propose to look at something that worked out right, which nevertheless defines the wrongness of Seattle’s ways.

One name: Josh Hamilton.
Tuesday in Anaheim against the Mariners, the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 2010 hit into three double plays and struck out twice. In a 3-2 loss by the Angels that he could have reversed with the simplicity of a single or even a sacrifice fly — he left seven runners on base — Hamilton accounted for eight of the Angels’ allotted 27 outs, which might be a more difficult single-game feat than hitting three home runs.

Overlooked in Seattle because of the modest joy in the only win during a four-game series that probably sank the season, Hamilton became the just the second player since 1916 to strike out twice and ground into three double plays in a game. Not even Brendan Ryan, Chone Figgins, Carlos Peguero, Bucky Jacobsen, Scott Spiezio . . .

“It’s been tough,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters after the game. “I don’t think anyone feels this more than Josh, and I don’t think there’s anyone more confident in his ability than Josh. He’s been working very hard in drills, hopefully making strides and getting there. He takes his lack of production very hard, very seriously.”

I’m sure that Hamilton is sincere, feels bad, works hard and, as Seahawks coach Pete Carroll likes to toss in conversationally, “all of that.” But his first half-season as an Angel is the kind of erratic, flaky play that can come from an erratic, flaky guy who is in a daily battle to maintain sobriety, in which, as far as has been reported, he has been successful. In the big picture, that feat is more important, so good for him.

In the little picture, where the Mariners dwell, can you imagine what the team would be like if they hired the guy out of free agency the past winter, as they so ardently professed was their intention?

Hamilton, 32, is hitting .207 with an OPS of .640 that includes 10 homers, 25 RBIs, 76 strikeouts and 19 walks. After being dropped to seventh in the lineup, he was benched over weekend — a three-game sweep by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who play two in Seattle starting Tuesday — ostensibly to rest an ailing wrist. (For comparison, former Mariners shortstop and human highlight film Munenori Kawasaaki is starring for Toronto, hitting .228 with an OPS of .670.)

At 33-43 and a half-game behind the Mariners, the Angels are off to their worst start in 20 years and seem destined to miss the playoffs for a fourth season in a row. Multiple reasons beyond Hamilton’s flop are at work in Anaheim, and to be fair, Hamilton could turn his season around with one at-bat. He’s that kind of a talent.

But Angels owner Arte Moreno guaranteed Hamilton five years at $125 million. A falloff toward the end of the contract from his great numbers as a Rangers star was predictable by anyone. But the first three months? Jeez.

As with convicted wife-beater Milton Bradley but for different reasons, Hamilton is a high-maintenance dude for which the Mariners are utterly unequipped. Having led the majors over the past three season in walk-off losses (by a wide margin), they have displayed little ability to bear down for three hours despite minimal distractions (including fan noise).

Imagine the Hamilton flop amid the mediocrity. General manager Jack Zduriencik probably would be gone, even though his bosses, Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong, would have approved the deal. Wedge would have spent his media hours making excuses for Hamilton that probably would have turned his chin whiskers into porcupine quills. And the team would have had a worse record.

Instead of hiring Hamilton to play right field, the Mariners have used six players (Mike Morse 37 games, Endy Chavez 25, Jason Bay 15, Michael Saunders 8, Peguero 3, Raul Ibanez 1) who combined for a batting average of .265, an OPS of .735, 11 homers, 30 RBIs, 62 strikeouts and 11 walks — a cumulative total significantly better than Hamilton and a little above major league average for the position.

While credit is due for a good Plan B salvage job, the point is that Plan A should never been considered. While it is easy to say now, frankly, it was just as easy to say last winter.

The Mariners bosses, embarrassed by epidemic fan apathy, were in full panic. Hamilton was the marquee free agent but damaged goods, visible to all. He could have been part of no “plan” imagined by Zduriencik or any sentient GM, if for no other reason than it would have precluded a similar investment in pitcher Felix Hernandez, whose $175 million deal was a more effective use of resources on multiple levels.

Which brings us to the next five weeks before the non-waiver trade deadline, which at the moment finds the Mariners exactly where fans don’t want the bosses to be — nine games below .500 and not wanting to surrender, for imagined PR reasons, the flicker of hope.

The same people are still in charge, the field results are similar, fans are fewer, the tiny uptick in the standings primarily is because they were out-dumbed by the Angels on Hamilton. The previous midseason trades of Doug Fister and Cliff Lee are about to be revisited in the media.

The only major differences this summer is that Zduriencik and Wedge are in their contract years, and many of their most productive players are on one-year contracts. Explain to me how the panic has lessened from when signing Josh Hamilton was said to be a good idea.

YourThoughts

Tian Biao

There’s nothing more dangerous than a desperate GM, as we all know. And thank goodness the ‘brain trust’ didn’t sign Hamilton, try though they did, and yes, it is pleasant to consider Hamilton hanging around the Angels’ necks for 25 million a year for the next five years. The other deal that apparently failed was just as bad: one of our trio of supposedly good young pitchers, plus Nick Franklin and two relievers, for Justin Upton, currently hitting .240 in the weaker league. The full Erik Bedard, in other words.

But, and Art is absolutely correct on this, and omg, because the ‘brain trust’ is still out there, still desperate, jobs still on the line (not the jobs of Howie or Chuck, of course), and still ready to deal. When the Ms call, you can bet those other 29 GMs return those calls in a hurry. Stand by for the next fleecing.

art thiel

The lack of productivity on the trade front is the biggest mark against Jack Z. Not merely total busts (Fister), but not enough break-evens. In fairness, M’s have never dealt in his time from a position of strength. Perpetual catch-up.

Will

The Mariners? Didn’t their season end several years ago? Can’t wait for them to once again light things up, come spring training.

art thiel

They did kick a lot of AAA butt in Peoria, didn’t they?

Will

It wouldn’t be so bad if the M’s played in a AAAA league. With lower expectations and a lot more fan-friendly gimmicks between innings, games would be somewhat enjoyable.

SUDS

Do I hear a call for baseball relegation? I shudder to think of the Mariners’ as a permanent third-division resident.
Shoot; wait. They all ready are.

Ray360

The only constant the past decade+ Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong

Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong

Howard Lincoln and Chuck Armstrong

art thiel

Ray, we know. We know. We know.

RadioGuy

Some triggers are best left unpulled. Besides his obvious problems at the plate, Hamilton has always impressed me as a “me-first” guy who would not have been the kind of positive veteran presence a young team like Seattle needs. The guys they’ve brought in have set better examples AND been more productive than Hamilton has been for the Angels at this point.

And, yes, the Chuck & Howie Show needs to be cancelled. Their ratings suck. I still like Zduriencik as GM and thought the FAs he picked up this winter were mostly good picks, but mostly in terms of rebuilding the farm system, but I’ve developed a nervous tic that goes into full-blown Tourette’s mode (complete with colorful verbiage) every time he tries to swing a trade. The Vargas-for-Morales deal looks okay in a rent-a-player sort of way, Pineda-for-Montero looks like a washout for both teams and I’m still from Missouri on Jaso-for-Morse (MM needs to get/stay healthy), but Z was willing to give up too much for either Upton or Ethier.

art thiel

How the M’s couldn’t see Hamilton was high-maintenance is beyond me.

The vets-for-prospects route at midseason is dangerous because other GMs know the Mariners can be completely out of a race and still be in panic mode. Not easy to do.

jafabian

I will give Chuck a semi-pass since he ultimately answers to the M’s ownership but I sure wish Chris Larson was the one running the show instead of Lincoln.
Was never a fan of the proposed deal that was to bring Hamilton to the M’s. Texas has a hitters park. Better to get a successful hitter who succeeds in a pitchers park to bring here IMO. I give Jack Z. a C+ grade att his time. He’s built an awesome farm but the trades and free agents he’s done are mixed and his managers haven’t been much so far either. There’s times Wedge makes me shake my head, especially in terms of managing the bullpen. What’s Bryan Price doing right now eh?

art thiel

Jack has five years and two position prospects that seem average MLBers — Seager and Franklin. I’m not yet buying the “great farm prospects” claim. No difference-makers in the bunch.

Marcus

The irony is the Angels still got it right. How is that possible with Hamilton a ginormous bust? Because they’re still playing baseball that ultimately wins. Hamilton didn’t work out. If he had been on the Mariners they would use that as the reason they can’t afford to do anything else (get set for that excuse with Morales regardless). It would be Chone Figgins times 5. Oh no, we signed a big contract and it didn’t work out!!!

That’s baseball.

Sometimes the big ones don’t work out. Winning teams push through that and keep going rather than going home to bawl on the bed. That basic realization is lost on the Mariners. So, the Angels are in a bind right now. Think they will give up, stop taking steps to improve the team? No way. And they will get better.

Alvin Kroon

Must be a slow summer, Art. If the best thing about the Mariners is what they didn’t do, imagine how happy we’ll be with all things the M’s won’t accomplish this summer.

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Kirsten Kendrick's Q. & A. with Thiel can be heard every Friday during Morning Edition at 5:35am and 7:35am and again that same day on All Things Considered at 4:45pm. It also airs Saturday at 6:35am and 9:35am.